TORRANCE, Calif. (October 15, 2009) – Lexus of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., has become the first Lexus dealership and the first building in Nevada to receive Gold certification for Existing Buildings (EB) from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) through its Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program. LEED certification is based on meeting stringent evaluations in such areas as sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Through Lexus’ Process Green initiative, Lexus of Las Vegas incorporated sustainable policy development and implementation; energy and water efficiency improvements; recycling of materials and reduction of waste; employee commitment to site restoration; and developing carpooling and alternative transportation. Lexus of Las Vegas hired Sustainable Energy Solutions in the Spring of 2007 to provide project management and energy efficiency services for its LEED EB certification project. Following implementation of sustainable practices, Lexus of Las Vegas received 53 points overall and was notified of its Gold LEED EB certification in September 2009.

“As we developed the plans to update our maintenance and operations for our dealership, incorporating sustainability was a priority,” said Lee Butler, Lexus of Las Vegas general manager. “We knew we could do the right thing for the environment at the same time incorporating all the luxury elements that our customers deserve.”

Lexus’ parent company, Toyota, also is committed to sustainable building. Currently, there are three additional LEED certified buildings: Toyota Headquarters’ South Campus and Toyota Logistics Services in Portland, Ore., are LEED NC Gold certified; and Toyota Motor North America, Washington, D.C. is LEED CI Silver certified. Toyota has three of the first LEED certified dealers in the United States, Pat Lobb Toyota in McKinney, Tex., was the first LEED certified dealership in the country, earning Silver certification in August 2006. Toyota of Rockwall, Tex., was the first LEED Gold certified dealership, opening in April 2008, and Mark Miller Toyota in Salt Lake City, Utah, earned Gold LEED certification in March 2009.

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